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Styles of Music
The music of Spain is very diverse with a long history. The styles and cultures vary greatly among the different geographical regions. Regions of Spain Andalusia and Murcia The southern region of Andalusia is best known for flamenco music. Flamenco music can trace its roots all the way back to the 1500's. Though the origins of flamenco aren't exactly known, the most accepted theory is that the gypsies created it when they arrived in Spain. Flamenco usually includes guitar, singing, dancing, and hand claps. It is characterized by an importance of words and driving rhythms. Melodies and harmonies are not the most important part like in most Western music. No two performances of flamenco are the same. The dancing is very spontaneous and the singing is interpreted differently by different singers. There are different styles of flamenco called Palos. There are over 50 different palos, but only 12 are commonly played. Meter or time signatures in flamenco are called compas. Compas are one of the most important parts of flamenco. Rhythm in flamenco requires much more precision than in any other western music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCca6d2ceI0 One instrument that originated in the Andalusia area is the gaita rociera, which is a tabor pipe played with one hand while the other plays a drum. Gaita Roeciera are often included in a type of musical group called Panda de Verdiales. Other instruments in these groups include violins, guitars, tambourines, and the Bandurria. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lREM_FnzsLI Aragon, Extremadura, La Rioja, and Navarre One type of music popular in this region is the jota. The jota is a traditional Spanish courtship dance. Jota can also be a genre of folk song that precedes and accompanies the dance or is sung only. It is danced by a couple holding castanets. Castanets are a shell-shaped instrument made of hard wood, ivory, or plastic. They are attached to a string or piece of leather which is wrapped around the thumbs. The rest is held by the remaining fingers. Practiced castanet players can make a variety of sounds, from a dry click to a warm roll. Castanets are most often used to accompany but can also be used as a solo instrument https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRjQqtE2-zI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf9ypRpbZMA An instrument called the Guitarro came from this region. The Guitarro is a five-stringed guitar that was created in the Baroque period. It is not intended as a solo instrument; it is solely intended to accompany in a plucked style. Asturias, Cantabria, and Galicia The music in this region of Spain is very unique. Galicia, also known as Galiza, is one of the Celtic countries. It's Celtic history goes back 2,000 years. The people in this region characterize themselves as more Celtic than being a part of Spain. The music here is almost identical to music of Ireland. They use an instrument called the Gaita, which is a Spanish bagpipe. One famous musician that came from this area is a Gaita player named Carlos Nunez. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1bffYZdRm0 Balaeric Islands The Balaeric Islands are known for a traditional music ensemble called Xeremiers or Colla de Xeremiers. Xeremiers consist of flabiol, a five-hole tabor pipe, and xeremies, or bagpipes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6LpkY0S8UM Basque Country Basque Country is known for trikitixa. Trikitixa can either refer to a style of music or to an instrument. The instrument is a diatonic accordian unique to this region. It is commonly heard with a tambourine. It can also provide a strong rhythmic accompaniment to larger musical ensembles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hueETQeybtM Canary Islands Children in the Canary Islands are taught a unique language called Silbo. Silbo is a language consisting solely of different whistles. This language was created as a means of communicating over long distances. Silbo began dying out in the twentieth century, but has had a resurgence due to the official protection it has recieved. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PyNuOJaDCs (1:10) The Canary Islands are known for having a few instruments unique to the area. The Timple is a traditional four or five-stringed instrument. The old Timples had only four strings, but a fifth string was introduced in the late nineteenth century. Timples are very similar to a Hawaiian Ukelele. Another instrument from this region is the Bandurria, also known as the Mandurria. ''The modern Bandurria is made up of six pairs of strings. It is very similar to a mandolin. Castile, Madrid, and Leon This region is known to be a musical melting pot, but it does have some music very unique to the area. One type of music here is called Salamanca. Salamanca is very different than traditional Spanish music. Most Spanish music is known for its guitar. Guitars are secondary in this music. The melody is often played by an instrument called the ''Dulzaina, ''which is similar to an oboe. Other instruments include, pipe instruments, percussion, and bagpipes. Jota is also common in this area, though it has been changed and adapted by the people of this region. It is much slower in tempo than the traditional jota. One other style of music unique to this area is the Tuna. The tuna is often referred to as Spain's version of the Mexican mariachi band. Catalonia The music of Catalonia is some of the oldest music of Europe. The Sardana is a traditional dance that is danced in a circle while holding hands. This dance was banned after the Spanish Civil War because it displayed Catalan nationalism. In 2010, the government recognized it as a national dance. The music that accompanies the sardana is played by a band called a ''cobla. ''The band consists of ten wind instruments-five brass and five woodwinds, a double bass, and a tambori. The dance is not terribly fast and is easy for newcomers to learn. The professional Sardana dance groups are called colles. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnUcof4m0R8 ''https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnUcof4m0R8] Catalonian rumba is a newer type of music of Spain. It's a blend of traditional flamenco and Afro-Cuban music created by gypsies in the 1950's. It is generally hated by flamenco "purists." It's generally a pretty light-hearted, fun genre of music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQSUSOmWAJw Valencia Valencia is one of the musical centers of Spain and his know for its high levels of musical innovation. Jota is very popular in Valencia. Religous and working songs are also very common. This region is very well know for it's unique blend of contemporary and folk music. Sources Bryant, Tony. "Flamenco - Verdiales." Verdiales, Flamenco in Andalucía, Music, Art and Culture of Southern Spain. Andalucia, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. "Canarian." Performing Arts. Cultural Infusion, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Jota (Spanish Dance and Folk Song)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. "Music in Salamanca, Spain." Music in Spain. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. "Music." Simply Valencia Music Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. "Pages." CelticLand. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. Reilly, Rachel. "The Language Made up Entirely of WHISTLES (and, Believe It or Not, It's Used on the Canary Islands)." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 04 July 2013. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. Romer, Megan. "Castanets." About.com World Music. About, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. "Sardana." Spanish Dance and Music:. Spanish Arts, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. Warner, Gregory. "Trikitixa." Public Radio Broadcasting. BBC World Service, 04 Aug. 2008. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.